The Birthday Boys

I'm a huge fan of KITH, Mr. Show, and A Bit of Fry & Laurie and I think this show has the potential to end up in that rarified air. The sketches are clever and hilarious and they're not tethered to impressions, recurring characters or current events, which is refreshing.

Give these guys time to mature and I think they'll be the next big thing. Only Key and Peele can compete with these guys in terms of quality sketch comedy that is currently in production.

I see several negative reviews here which is fine, its not for everyone. What I don't get is why people have to be so over-the-top with their negativity these days! You can just say you don't like. You don't have to call it 'crap' or moan about losing respect for Bob Odenkirk. It ain't that serious folks!

This group of zany comics produce nothing but laughs and the unexpected plot lines. The only thing wrong with Birthday Boys is that after 10 episodes, it's disappeared! The half-hour show has more than three separate but recurring episodes that are flat-out funny. Bob Odenkirk (Saul the lawyer on "Breaking Bad") appears, and also is the executive producer. The brothers who brew beer, the high-school kid who is stood up by his girl for the prom, with his dad substituting for her...the roofers...too many shows to watch...there are so many exceptional comedy bits in this show that in the great wasteland of reality TV, couldn't intelligent folk be allowed to laugh and genuinely hilarious TV? That's Birthday Boys--it should return, and soon!

I've probably re-written this review 20 times so far and it just gets more and more long-winded each time, so the hell with it, let's do the quick, no-bullshit version.

The show's not good. Y'know when you're watching something that's supposed to be funny, and instead of laughing, even inwardly, you catch yourself instead just thinking things like, "Oh, I see how that could be funny. Or could've been. Neat idea. ... K, why haven't we moved to the next sketch yet?" It's not that it's all that bad, even, I mean, I see how it could be funny at times, but in a lot of ways it's so much worse to be disappointing than just flat-out bad. When something is just bad, it doesn't tend to feel like nearly as much wasted potential as something that could've been real damn good.

Here's hoping these guys learn to edit their show a lot more objectively in their next season. In the meantime, re-watch Mr. Show if you want some actually funny Bob Odenkirk sketch comedy. Hell, go back further to the Ben Stiller Show, more classic sketch comedy, written, produced by, and actually starring Bob Odenkirk and Ben Stiller (nerd note: Ben is also an E.P. on Birthday Boys); the last few episodes of its lone season still hold up incredibly well something like 20 years later, whereas this...

(Truthfully, I'm really sad. I really thought Bob knew how to pick 'em when he got behind Tim & Eric way early, and nearly everyone from Mr. Show is now either a household name or at least seen/heard constantly... This is a very negative review with a very heavy sigh attached to it.)

Dang this show is hilarious! It's easily my favorite new show on TV. The writing is so clever and the cast all have legit acting chops. I feel like IFC is blowing up with original content that will steal audiences from FXX. I love the one where the dude is getting sentenced to jail and he's like, "I can't...I'm sorry I just can't do this anymore I'm done. I know, I know everyone can hate but I just can't." Or the one where the guy is like "Yeah I mean it was an okay movie but it's nothing to write home about..." They also play on a lot on filmic conventions which is really cool and funny.

When Key and Peele first aired it was good, but I think it went to a whole new level in the 2nd and 3rd seasons. I bet the same thing would happen with the Birthday Boys. I really hope IFC brings them back for more episodes!!!

I don't know why I ever watched this, I don't know why my man and I can quote all of this, but this is a wonderful comedy show. It's so subtle, clever, and quotable. In fact we have a standing drinking game where if one of us makes a reference, we have to take a shot. Anymore it's just mimicking taking shots, but it's still relevant.

And one of them has a head that is perfectly square.

Losing this on Netflix was such a shame, but it really is a well crafted sketch show that was cut down too quickly. Bob Odenkirk is a delightful accomplice to the shenanigans. We love it so much we own the physical copies, which is huge.

So strap in and hold onto your shoes, because I guarantee you will find it adequate.